Benzema Crowned 2022 Ballon D’Or Winner

France and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has been named the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner.

It is a first Ballon d’Or award for Benzema who has become the first French player to do so since Zinedine Zidane in 1998.

France have now five different Ballon d’Or winners, with no other country having more.

Benzema scored 44 goals in 46 games as he helped Real Madrid win the Champions League and La Liga in 2021-22.

Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas retained the Women’s Ballon d’Or, awarded to the best best female footballer of 2022.

Also Read: Oshoala Places 16th In 2022 Women’s Ballon d’Or Award

Premier League champions Manchester City, who had six nominees at the ceremony, were awarded Club of the Year ahead of Liverpool.

Robert Lewandowski, who placed fourth in the top 10, got the the Gerd Muller award for best striker, Real Madrid and Belgium shot stopper Thibaut Courtois won the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper.

Sadio Mane of Senegal and Bayern Munich won the Socrates award for his humanitarian works while Barcelona and Spain youngster Gavi won the KOPA trophy which is the award for the best young player in world football.

The Ballon d’Or is awarded to the best footballer of the year, based on performance over the 2021-22 season.

Thos year’s award presented by France Football was held at the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, France and hosted by French-British TV journalist, show host and presenter Sandy Heribert and Côte d’Ivoire and Chelsea legend Didier Drogba.